Instrument for Direct Measurement of Air Content in a Liquid Using a Resonant Electroacoustic Transducer

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2024326289-A1
Application number	US-202418740866-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 12, 2024
Priority date	May 10, 2019
Publication date	Oct 3, 2024
Grant date	—

Abstract

This invention relates to apparatus and method for measurement and monitoring of physical properties of materials, such as liquids, and more particularly to acoustic instruments, methods, and systems that automatically measure air content in real-time within liquids, including concrete, mortar, or other hydratable cementitious mix suspensions using resonant electroacoustic transducers that have their radiating surfaces in contact with the liquid.

First claim

We claim:

1 . A method for measuring an amount of cementitious material in a concrete mixing truck, comprising:
(A) placing into contact with the cementitious material at least one electro-acoustic transducer comprising a radiating surface that transmits an acoustic wave within the material as the transducer is supplied an electrical signal; (B) rotating the drum of the concrete mixing truck while measuring: (i) an impedance of the transducer while its radiating surface is in contact with the cementitious material and while it is supplied a frequency varying electrical signal, and (ii) obtaining impedance values at corresponding frequencies; rotational angles, time values or both corresponding to the impedance values; and (C) using the impedance values and the corresponding rotational angles, time values or both to determine a volume of cementitious material in the concrete mixing truck.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the cementitious material is concrete.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the cementitious material is grey water.

4 . An apparatus for preparing a cementitious fluid, comprising
a mixer having a drum; an electroacoustic transducer mounted on the interior of the drum; an electrical source for providing a frequency varying signal to the electroacoustic transducer; an impedometer; and a controller.

5 . The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the mixer comprises an open-end drum rotating about a non-vertical axis with at least one blade spirally-mounted on the inner wall for agitating or mixing the suspension during mixer drum rotation.

6 . The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein an impedance is measured at one or more frequencies while the electroacoustic transducer is in contact with the cementitious material and the controller converts the impedance value into a parameter associated with the cementitious fluid.

7 . The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the parameter comprises air content.

8 . The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein an impedance is measured at one or more frequencies while the drum is rotating and the controller determines a volume of cementitious fluid in the drum based on the impedance measured during a rotation.

Assignees

• Gcp Applied Tech Inc
• Massa Products Corp

Inventors

• Massa Donald P
• Stancavish Dawn F
• Tregger Nathan A
• Roberts Mark F
• Myers David F
• Klaus Stephen P

Classifications

• B28C5/388

  Methods · CPC title

• G01N29/24

  Probes {(transducers for acoustic waves B06B, G10K; for measuring G01H)} · CPC title

• G01N29/02

  Analysing fluids (using acoustic emission techniques G01N29/14 {; constructional or flow details for analysing fluids G01N29/222; optoacoustic fluid cells G01N29/2425}) · CPC title

• B28C5/0806

  Details; Accessories · CPC title

• G01N2291/02433

  Gases in liquids, e.g. bubbles, foams · CPC title